A gift
by hollylouisex
Summary: A Peter /Carla story.Peter is a mess and he needs Carla ,but he hasn't seen her for months,little does he know she's lying in a hospital bed holding their baby/ chapter 2 is now up
1. Chapter 1

A gift

**This is my first fanfic so please review it and be critical and please feel free to leave suggestions for the next chapters**

Carla Connor stared down at the baby girl in her arms and she couldn't help but laugh, she thought of how people would react when they heard the news 'Carla, a baby? Never!" but looking down at the beautiful newborn in her arms she realized she wouldn't change a thing. However Carla couldn't help but feel guilty ,her mind was full of questions 'should I have told him? Shall I go back?"And then she stared at her little girls name tag; Isla grace Barlow.

Peter reached for the yellow freshco's bag on the desk and he pulled out a bottle of whiskey, but then he froze 'if she saw me now I know she'd be disappointed' Instead of taking a swig, peter grabbed the bottle and threw it in the bin. Ever since Leanne had sailed off into the sunset with Nick tilsley peter had been a mess and he thought that drinking would be able to help him, but that wasn't what peter wanted .There was one person that peter Barlow needed right now ,little did he know she was lying in a hospital bed holding his daughter.

She didn't want to leave, but she thought it was the right decision . she didn't want to hurt didn't know that Leanne was cheating on peter with nick again. That night that they spent together it meant everything to Carla, finally she had got what she wanted, but when she woke up the next morning she couldn't help but feel guilty Leanne was meant to be her friend.

That's why she left, she didn't know she was pregnant at the time, but that wouldn't have made much of a difference ,in fact it would have given her another reason to leave.

Peter just wanted to know where she was, why did she just leave ? He thought she loved him, but one thing he did know for definite was that he loved her and he was going to find her no matter what it took.

Maria couldn't wipe the smile off her face

"A little Girl, Carla ,congratulations!"

"she's beautiful I bet you can't wait to meet her"

"I'm so excited, so I'll pick you up at 2 o'clock on Friday? It'll be great to have you around again, I've really missed having you around"

Carla was about to reply when isla scrunched up her face and began to cry

"Someone doesn't sound too happy" giggled Maria

"Look Maria I'll have to go ,I'll see you on Friday"

Maria was about to reply when she realized that Carla had hung up .Maria turned around to head back into the salon but she wasn't aware that someone had been listening to her phone call .

"Maria? Who was that on the phone?" remarked peter.

"Peter? What has it got to do with you?"

"It was her wasn't it? Was it Carla? "

"Peter I told you it's nothing to do with you!"

"Maria if that was Carla then please tell me, I need to see her ,please ,I'm begging you?"

Maria wasn't in the mood to argue so she gave in

"okay, yes it was Carla, she's okay ,in fact she'll be back soon"

"Where is she Maria?"

"Peter, I don't think she wants to see you right now"

"What? What have I done wrong?"

"You haven't done anything, you know what?"

Maria pulled a piece of scrap paper from her bag and scrawled a message onto it before handing it to peter.

"Maria,whats this?"

"It's the address of where Carla's staying, but be warned she might not be too happy to see you"

"Thank you" peter mumbled before racing towards his car .

Carla laid back on the sofa, she was exhausted, she always thought that being a mum would be easy and now she realized how wrong she was. Carla had just managed to get isla to sleep and she was slowly beginning to drift off to sleep when she was startled by a knock at the door .

"Who…who is it?" Carla stuttered

"It's me "instantly Carla recognized his voice, that beautiful husky voice, but why was he there?

Carla gently opened the door she was right ,it was peter .

"What do you want?"

"Answers Carla"

"Answers to what?" Carla questioned feeling rather puzzled

"For starters ,why did you leave Carla? I thought you loved me, did that night not mean anything to you?"

"That night meant everything to me, of course I love you peter ,I love you so much and that's why I had to leave. I couldn't hurt Leanne ."

"Carla, Leanne left me."

"What?"

"About three weeks after you left I found a letter in the flat, she said she couldn't bear hurting me but she loved nick, they'd been having another affair, and then they just sailed off into the sunset, I haven't heard from her since"

"Oh, peter love I'm sorry"

"Where were you when I needed you Carla? I was always there to help you when you needed it ,but when I needed you ,you weren't there. I started drinking Carla, but then I thought of you, I know you'd of been disappointed, now whenever I need a drink I think of you"

"Peter I really wish I could have been there but it wasn't that easy"

"I love you Carla. That day, the day you left I came to your flat, I was willing to end it with Leanne so I could be with you, but you'd left"

"I wanted to come back I honestly did but then things got complicated"

"What do you mean, complicated?"

Before Carla had a chance to open her mouth the room was filled with the sound of sharp piercing cries, Carla disappeared into the bedroom before reappearing clutching baby Isla

"Peter, say hello to your Daughter"


	2. Chapter 2

Peter was frozen to the spot ,his mouth hung open with shock and a lonely tear escaped and trickled down his face. After a few minutes of silence peter finally found his voice "She's beautiful" peter leant over to stroke isla's cheek "just like her mother "he proclaimed with a smirk across his face ,Carla giggled as she became red-faced "peter!"Peter laughed.

"what's her name?"

"Isla …isla grace Barlow"

"hello isla I'm your daddy "peter cooed ,gently stroking isla's tiny hand .Peter admired his daughter she was adorable and he was right she did look just like her mother with masses of thick black hair and she was wearing a beautiful pale pink outfit with matching pink headband "she'll be the best dressed baby ever ,with you as a mother ,I bet she already has a designer wardrobe " peter smirked ,making Carla laugh.

Isla continued to scream and Carla couldn't stop her "look peter I need to try and settle her, take a seat on the sofa, I won't be long and then we can talk, I'll explain. I promise" "okay "peter mumbled before taking a seat on the old, battered sofa, he was still in shock after finding out he had a daughter.

After about 15 minutes Carla re-appeared. "I'm sorry about that "

"don't worry " peter replied before patting the sofa for Carla to sit down ,she took a seat but tried not to sit too close to peter."I don't bite you know" Carla managed a smile before edging slightly closer to peter. "Carla ,you could have at least told me I was a dad"

"I'm sorry peter ,as far as I was concerned you were still happily married"

"if I was 'happily' married would I have even considered sleeping with you?" peter didn't have to wait for Her reply he could tell by the look on her face .

"but I thought you were still together ,I don't think she'd be too happy if I turned up on your doorstep out of the blue and just presented you with a baby ,that's why I stayed away "

Peter struggled to find the words to explain his feelings "Carla connor ,I love you,I love you so much"

"and what about our daughter?"

"she's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen ,I feel like the luckiest man on the planet ,and I want us to be a family. You ,me,simon and Isla "

"is it that simple?"

Carla felt tears beginning to stream down her face and she was overcome with emotion,peter wiped away her tears and tucked a piece of her silky hair behind her ear.

"peter,I love you so…"

Carla was silenced by peters lips touching hers ,at first they were gentle tender kisses but things started to hot up before things quickly moved to the bedroom.

Carla awoke the next morning she smiled as she looked seeing peter sat up in bed next to her cradling their daughter "morning beautiful" peter smiled gently kissing Carla on the temple.

"she's going to be a right daddy's girl"

"she's perfect car"

Carla felt a tear trickle down her face, she wasn't upset it was quite the opposite she had realized just how perfect her life was .Carla had been through hell recently with everything that happened with frank ,but peter was the one person there to help her .Carla had been chasing peter for well over a year ,she'd never loved someone so much since Liam .But no one could ever replace thought about him every day ,about what could have been ,she imagined what would have happened if she hadn't told him she didn't love him .if she had ran away with liam ,he'd still be alive .But she didn't and he was dead,but Carla had to move on,liam was her past and she knew he'd want her to be happy.

But everything felt a bit surreal,a little too perfect ,Carla hadn't been this happy in a long while and she couldn't help but think to herself 'am I dreaming?'

'Carla,come and live with me"

"seriously?"

"yes,seriously I love you and I want us to be a proper family"

"but I don't even have a cot , or a pram "

"it's fine ,we can go shopping on the way home"

"oh,peter of course I'll move in with you" Carla beamed with a giant grin upon her face

Peter leant over to kiss the woman that he loved

"Carla ,have I ever told you your beautiful? Because you are"

Carla rested her head on peter's shoulder and admired the perfect little bundle in his arms

"I think I may be the luckiest woman on the planet"


End file.
